Safety device for power operated switches



sept, 22, 1931. 5, JOHNSON 1,824,741

SAFETY DEVICE FOR POWER OPERATED SWITCHES Filed May 20. 1929 FIG. 4.

TfiRGET sw grworz BY ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22,1931

sinnny'efaorrnsonjorfRAHwnY, NEWJER-SEY, ASSIGNOR fro GENERAL RAILWAY SI NA coiurAiyY, or ocHns'rER-jnEw YORK jjrgvionronrowniz oPERArEn swrrcnss 7 Application filed May 20, 1929; minim/364,4 4.

10 'ly in some respect. Various things may happen to prevent the proper operation of a switch machine in throwing a switch, or the operation of the regular signalsoontrolling train movement over the switch. Under such conditions, it is thepractice to allow trains to move over a switch under hand signals,

after taking suitable precaution to assure that the train may safely pass over the switch,

I the switch being cranked over by hand, if necessary. Since tram operation under such conditions depends upon the human element, it sometimes happens that the switch is not properly spiked, in accordance with the operating rules, or due precautions are not taken to be sure that the switch cannot be improperly operated by power. The maintainer or someone of the train crew may believe the switch is safe, and give a hand signal to the engineer or motorman to proceed, when through carelessness or oversight, the switch is not in fact safe; and serious accidents have occasionally resulted from such failure of the human element.

With these and other considerations in r mind, it is proposed inaccordance with the present invention to provide'a simple and dependable device for positively locking the switch points and at the same time displaying an indication which the engineers of 49 trains may rely upon as showing that they may safely runover the switch.

Various other characteristic features and advantages of the invention will be in part vapparent and in part pointed out as the description progresses. I

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1' shows a typical layout of a power operated switch, and illustrates the way in which the locking device of this invention is applied;

50 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan View of the locking device and associated parts; Fig. 3 is a section through the locking device;

and Fig. 4 shows a form of the locking device and target preferably employed.

Referring to Fig. 1, an electrically operated switch machine of the type shown,-'for example, in the patent toWinthropK; Howe,

N 0. 1,288,897, dated December 24,*191 8,is"

connected toith'e switch points 1 by theusual- "rub specific form shown, comprises a plate 4- throwr od 2 and-lock rod 3.

The locking device'of the invention, in the boltedto "theitie rod 5, to which the throw rod 2*of the switchfmachine is connected'.

This plate 4 is suitably insulated, in accordance with recognized practice, so'as to permit the applicationofthe usual track circuits. In

the plate 4 are two spacedholes 4 and 4 spa-ced'apart in accordance with the throw of i the switch points. A bra'cketffi-isfirmly fastened toone'of-the ties 7 adjacent tie rod 5,

byla'g screws or the like;;'and this bracket hasup'per'and lower portions 'above and be low' the plate t, as shown i'nfFig: In this bracket 6 thereis ajh'ole,,preferably oval or some other non-circular shape, which is alignedlwith one of the holes 4 a-nd4 in the 7 plate 4 when the switch points are at a corresponding extreme position." The. locking 7 pin or bolt 8,;provided with atarget"9 at the upper end, can be inserted through these aligned; holes, 'th'ispin being of such length that it'must pass throughftheopenings and securely lock the switch points, before the target is low enoughto permit trains to pass;

- If desired, a suitable circuit controller,- shown,diagrammatically in section in Fig. 3

may be attached to the tie 7, so that whenthe locking pin 8 is in place, an insulated button 10 presses down a sprlng contact member-11 out of engagement with a stationary contact 12. These contacts 11%12 may be included in a power supply or control circuit for the 7 switch machine, sothat' no power can be applied to theswitch machine while the locking pin is in place, or these contacts'may be used to control the regular wayside signals, gov-i erning traffic over the switch, or .some other; signal indicatinggth'e manuallyl'ocked c'ondi- .7

tion of the switch.

With a switch equippedwith the locking device of this invention, if the switch machine is out of order, and the regular wayside signals do not give indications permitting the train to pass over the switch, the engineer is supposed not to move his train over the switch unless he can see the target 9, which indicates that the locking bolt S is in place, and that the switch points are posi- .0 tively and directly locked. The locking? bolt 8, and the openings in'the bracket 6 through which it passes, are made oval, or of an'equivalent shape, so that the target 9 will pendently of said operating-means, and

target means for indicatingrwhen said fastening'means is eifective. w v

2. A manual safety locking device for power operated switches comprising, a mem her attached to the switchpoints, a fiX'ed member, wholly removable emergency lock ing means for rigidly connecting said members the switch points are in; an extreme position, and a target carried bysaid locking 85 means for indicating when it is effective.

.3, A a safety lock for power operated switches comprising, a bracket fixed to a tie, V a member attached to the switch points, said member and bracket having holes therein eg aligned when the switch points are'in one .ex "treme position orv the other, and a locking bolt with atarget at its upper end adapted-to pass through said holes, said bolt being it is effective and preventing proper clearance for a train it not so effective.

6. A safety lock for power operated switches comprising, a bracket fixed to a tie, a member attached to the switch points, said memberv and bracket having holes therein aligned when the switch points are in one extreme position or the other, and a locking bolt with a target at its upper end adapted to pass through said'holes, said target projecting into the clearance diagram for a train unless the locking bolt is in looking position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SIDNEY e. JOHNSON.

formed to pass through said' holes, only when v 4 the target is positioned to face oncoming "traflid 4. In V operated switchescomprising,. a member attached to the switchpoints, a member fixed to a tie, said members having holes therein aligned when the switch points are in one extreme-position or the other, a locking bolt adapted to enter said holes and having a tar chine operated switches comprising, a mem- 60V ber attached to the-switch points, a fixed member, wholly removable emergency locking means comprising a rod for rigidly connecting said members if the switch points are in anextreme position, and means carr ed 5 by said locking means'for indicating when a sa'f ety locking devicev for power 

